All language subtitles for Commander In Chief S01E09 1080p DSNP WEB-DL DDP5 1 H 264-PlayWEB (1)_track3_[eng]

[Mac] Previously on
Commander in Chief:

[Kelly] This was footage of Nathan
Templeton at a private fundraiser in 1965.

Segregation is the word of God.

If the Lord Almighty wanted
colored people to mix with whites,

to live with whites, to marry whites,

he wouldn't have placed them
on separate continents.

I don't believe that tape
represents who you are today.

It doesn't represent who I ever was.

- It doesn't have to get out.
- Why?

I think the country
doesn't need another scandal now.

Maybe you want to have something
to hold over my head.

[Nathan] I trusted you, Jayne.

I gave you information
from him whenever I could.

This time you gave
my information to him.

- Mr. Speaker...
- No! Just get out of here.

I don't want to see you again.

- I'm moving Rod into the West Wing.
- Completely your call, ma'am.

I would like to welcome
Rod Calloway to our staff.

I learned a long time ago, never cross
anyone who sleeps with the boss.

I'm focused on her new agenda here.
You have a White House to run. Run it.

We're an independent commission.
The goal is to be above politics.

- Mr. Chairman! Mr. Chairman!
- Yes.

[woman] Was economic impact
a factor in your recommendations?

We considered all factors,
but our mandate is to provide

the best proposals possible
to shape the future of our military.

You're recommending closure
of Essex Base in Connecticut,

which could devastate the economy
in the president's home state.

- Has she been consulted?
- The White House received our report.

And I am sure
that the president and her staff

are currently reviewing
our recommendations.

How did we not know about this?

Essex Naval
wasn't supposed to be on there.

It's always in consideration.
It never makes the list.

It made the top of the list.
They close that base,

they're gonna put over 30,000 people
out of work. People that I grew up with.

Independent commission
means independent of the president.

Look, it's your state. It's your watch.
This is tonight's lead story.

Just what we need.
Three days before Thanksgiving.

It's a tricky dance. You're heartless
to people in your home state

or weak on defense across the board.

Does no one here care that closing the
base might be what's best for the country?

No, you're the only one
that cares about the country.

The rest of us are here
just for the book deals.

OK, OK. Let's focus on options.

The best thing for us is to remain
above the fray. Let it play out.

- Let the base close.
- We stick our nose in, we get bloody.

- Then they'll probably close the base.
- Which will make us seem ineffective.

So it's better to be ineffective than
seem ineffective, right? What a town.

Excuse me, everybody.
I'd like to introduce Richard McDonald.

Dickie, what are you doing here?

Nice to see they're keeping
the chief of staff in the loop.

- Thank you for coming by.
- Honor to meet you, Madam President.

Kelly Ludlow, veep's director of comm
turned White House press sec.

- Meteoric rise.
- Thank you.

- Please.
- We don't want to interrupt.

Yeah. Just observing. Don't mind me.

We're reviewing options
for the Essex Base closure.

And I was saying, as a retired general
who once sat on BRAC,

they know what they're doing.

The closure of a base in the president's
hometown before Thanksgiving.

It's a nonpartisan recommendation of
what they think is best for national defense.

We should cancel this week's
press conference till after the holidays.

Let this blow over.

I can't cancel my second
weekly press conference.

Agreed. Rod?

- Dickie?
- Yes.

Kelly? You have talking options?

We didn't know the base was on the list.

Don't you have talking points
ready on every option?

We're not looking back
at what we didn't do.

Look forward to what we can do.
The press conference isn't till Wednesday.

- No need to make announcements.
- Holiday press, reporters,

- good way to let the story die.
- 8:45, Madam President.

You have a working call
with the EU at 9:00.

OK. We'll get back to this.
We'll pick this up.

Uh, Mac. Dickie's
gonna join us in the Oval

- for a few minutes before your phone call.
- Great.

I'd appreciate you letting me know
when you're bringing someone new in.

It undermines me with the staff
if it seems I'm out of the loop.

You're right. I'm sorry.
I won't let that happen again.

- Thank you, Vince.
- You're welcome.

Vince Taylor, Dickie McDonald. Nice work
going public on your gay/HIV thing.

The president's empathy rating
went up four points.

OK, then, good.

- Sorry the schedule's tight.
- Well, you're the president.

- I'd be worried if it were any other way.
- Please.

Thank you.

Rod thinks we need some help.
They say you're the best.

Your numbers are below where they
should be. You're playing defense.

We know the critique.
We're looking for strategy.

That's what I do. One question first.
Are you going to run for reelection?

I hadn't really thought about it much yet.

- Uh, we came into this kind of fast.
- I realize that,

but unless you're going to run
there's not much point in my being here.

We know that you're mainly
a campaign guy,

but we want to start with image issues...

Whether she's running is the image issue.

Ma'am, with due respect,
you haven't been elected to this position

and made no indication
as to whether you want to be.

If you don't start running today,

you're a lame duck for the next two years.

Ma'am. The EU working group
is on the line.

Thank you. We'll talk further.

To start with, I'd like to know how
you'd frame the base closure issue.

Unless you're running, it's not gonna
matter what position you take on the bases.

It's not gonna matter what
position you take on anything.

Rumor is the president's decided to run.

- That's your "hello"?
- Come on.

- You guys brought in Dickie McDonald.
- Like a half hour ago.

Did somebody send up
a smoke signal from the RNC?

Oh, we use instant messaging now.

- She's definitely running?
- If she is, she hasn't told me.

What about you?
Any progress on the job front?

Actually, I found something.
K Street. Gerken and Leigh.

See? Big time lobbyist. That was fast.

Part-time lobbyist.

They gave me one client,
said they'd see how I do.

- Who's the client?
- B.K. Industries.

They do guidance systems for submarines.

Let me guess. Their biggest contract
is with Essex Naval Base.

It's the president's home state. The nation
can't give up its edge in naval warfare.

What do you need?

I want to talk to the president.

Come on, Jim. I lost my job over you.

You owe me.

Luncheon speech to the AARP,
sec def 2:15, FBI briefing...

See if you can get Templeton in here
for a closed door on Essex Naval.

Yes, ma'am.

You have the AARP speech
to look at on the way?

- You know a Mike Stanton?
- Yeah. We went to law school together.

He keeps calling.
He says he needs to talk to you.

He's representing a Linda Bodum.
I had counsel pull a file.

I know the case. She's allegedly retarded.

Fell in with some lowlife
robbing cab drivers.

- One died?
- She's on death row in Texas.

And Mike wants the Supreme Court

to hear an appeal based on
her diminished mental capacity.

And the Court announced an hour ago
that they are not going to hear her appeal.

So... what, he wants to come in
and get me to commute her sentence?

- Motorcade's ready, Madam President.
- Thank you.

- I'll tell him you're too busy.
- He's a friend. I have to call him back.

It's just not what I needed today.

I'll tell him that you'll call him back
next week, after the holiday.

Supreme Court was her last appeal.

The execution is scheduled
for the day after Thanksgiving.

She'll be dead by next week.

OK.

- [Jim] It's a bad idea.
- He's an old friend from law school.

I owe him the courtesy of a face-to-face.

He's representing a killer
who's about to get the needle.

A killer with an IQ hovering
somewhere around room temperature.

If I put his name on the schedule,

the entire press corps
is gonna be all over us.

All we'll be talking about
is the death penalty.

OK. Arrange a drop-by.
He gets a tour of the White House.

I run into him,
we spend a few minutes in private,

and then it's never on the schedule.

In the world of drop-bys,
do you remember Jayne Murray?

- Templeton's former chief of staff.
- Yeah.

She's lobbying for related industries
on the base closure.

- If you could give her five minutes…
- Of course.

- Madam President, your mother arrived.
- Thank you, Laura.

- In for Thanksgiving, right?
- Mm-hm.

Nice to get a visit from someone
who's just here for turkey.

You don't know my mother.

- [knock on door]
- [Mac] Mom.

- Oh, honey.
- Hey.

- Oh, God.
- Hi.

[laughing]

- Oh, look at you.
- You got in early.

Well, the escorts used the sirens
all the way from Connecticut. [chuckles]

It was very effective.

- Where are the kids?
- Oh, uh, still in school.

They don't get off
for Thanksgiving till Wednesday.

Which reminds me...

I brought your favorite recipes.

Oh, you know, I think
the kitchen staff has that covered.

Oh, honey. I know how to handle help.

Don't worry. They're gonna love me.

They're not exactly "help," Mom.

I... I know. They're "staff."

I understand. They're professionals.
They're not used to interference.

But, honey, I have been
cooking Thanksgiving dinner

for my family for 50 years.
It's our tradition.

Even without Dad.

And as long as I'm standing,
I'm cooking.

OK.

I'll do this later.

Show me your office.

The Oval's still the same.
I haven't changed anything.

Oh, yes, you have.
You're sitting behind the desk now.

[both chuckling]

You could use more
assertive colors in here.

Uh, redecorating
is at the bottom of my list, Mom.

I'm not talking at all about decor.

It's a way to lift your leg
and establish your territory.

The point is to mark your turf.

I forgot how beautiful this woodwork is.

- Just right in here, Mom.
- All right.

Madam President.
I'm a little early, yes. Excuse me.

- Nathan Templeton, Mrs. Allen.
- Hello, Mr. Speaker.

- How do you do?
- How do you do?

Are you gonna give your mother a tour?

Oh, no. I've already done that
with President Bridges.

I was walking the president to work.

Please. Don't let me interrupt. I'm early.

I'll wait here while you do your visit.

You certainly will not, sir.
You have business with the government.

- Government runs slow.
- [laughs]

But not because of the president's mother.

- I'll see you later, dear.
- OK.

- You're making me feel bad, Mrs. Allen.
- I doubt it.

It was a pleasure meeting you,
Mr. Speaker.

[Nathan] And you, and you.

You're much handsomer
than your pictures.

Your hair is beautiful,
just like my husband's.

- Mr. Speaker?
- Last chance.

[chuckling]

- Excuse me.
- Uh-huh.

- What were you doing just now?
- I was trying to make friends for you.

Mom, I don't need any help with that.

The longer we're here, the more
he'll think we're talking about him.

Go.

[door closes]

- Your mother's very charming.
- Almost always.

[both chuckling]

She's right.
I've never taken a good picture.

Are you going back
to your district for Thanksgiving?

No. We're going to stay put this year.

You know, the hurricane took the house,
and Sarah's had a tough week.

Sorry to hear that. If she's up to it,
why don't you join us?

It's just the family,
thought it would be better for the kids

than, uh, having a big White House affair.

No, no. It's your family dinner.

There's always room
at the table at Thanksgiving.

That's very kind of you.
Thank you. I'll... I'll ask Sarah.

- See how she feels.
- Good.

But you didn't call me in
to ask us to Thanksgiving.

No. Please.

The Essex Naval Base
is a relic of the Cold War.

Closing it would save the military
1.7 billion dollars in the first year alone.

Well, we could cook
those numbers any way we want.

My people tell me
the domino effect on the economy

could cost two billion over five years.

Those are local numbers.
The BRAC report is very clear.

There will be no
economic impact nationally.

This affects my home community
and you know that.

I do.

You also know that Essex was never
supposed to be on the closure list.

I had a deal with President Bridges.
A deal that you made a promise to honor.

I made a promise. A personal
promise to Teddy, not to you.

A community is at stake,
a community that I care about.

And all I am asking of you
is to honor your original position.

It's a position that I was
compelled to reconsider

based on the merits of the report.

This is just shuffling military money
back and forth.

- Robbing Peter to pay Paul.
- It's sending money where it's needed.

I had a meeting with the head of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff and he was forthright.

He said it was critical, sad but critical,
that we close these obsolete bases

and release those funds
for fighter readiness,

intelligence, homeland security...

You really want to make this
where we draw our battle lines?

You willing to die on this hill?

Are you telling me

that you're going to take the tape
out of the safe and make it public?

I have no intention of using that tape.

I can fight fair and win.

Madam President,
I would expect nothing less from you,

and you should expect
nothing less from me.

- [Jayne] She's really gonna see me?
- Soon as Templeton leaves.

Templeton's here? On base closure?

The important thing
is that you're here, right?

- Yeah.
- Don't be nervous.

Three minutes with her can determine
the future of my career. Why be nervous?

Do ask Sarah about Thanksgiving.

- We'd love to have you.
- Yes, I will.

- Thank you, Madam President.
- Shouldn't be more than a second.

- Jayne. Jim.
- Mr. Speaker.

Madam President.

You remember my former
chief of staff, Jayne Murray.

- Good to see you.
- You too.

Jayne's just taken a cushy K Street job,

probably lobbying your man here
on the base closings.

Uh, ready for you
in the Roosevelt Room, Madam President.

- Thank you.
- Will you walk with me?

- Um...
- Actually, we're not quite through.

And I need Jim for a minute. Walk with us?

- Sure.
- Mr. Speaker.

Thank you so much for meeting
with me, Madam President.

I'm not meeting with you,
I'm walking with you.

Walking and chatting.
Chatting and walking.

- What would you care to chat about?
- Essex Naval Base.

Um, we're doing work
with certain related industries...

Who would take a substantial hit
if the base is closed.

Undersea warfare could be critical
to our survival as a nation.

It's not our only undersea base,

just the only one your clients
happen to have a contract with.

I have a brief on the impact
of the base closure.

- Can I put it in your hands?
- Of course.

Can I say I put it in your hands?

Of course. Good luck
with your new position.

Thank you, Madam President.

[Vince] Ladies and gentlemen,
the president of the United States.

She took the brief. I just became
the K Street lobbyist who put a brief

directly into the hands of the president.

That's great. Do you have a second?

Jayne...

...we can't keep seeing each other.

When you were working
for Templeton it was barely ethical.

Now that you're a lobbyist, it's... illegal.

I know.

It was nice, for awhile.

Yeah.

I can't believe she took the brief.

I'm gonna miss you.

We'll see each other all the time.

I'll still miss you.

[door opens]

This is Chef Tom and Chef Carl

and this is Chef Paul,
who's the dessert chef.

Hello, Chef Paul. What an honor…

- Look at these incredible dessert...
- Mrs. Allen.

Hello, I'm Nora Woodruff.
I'm the first gentleman's chief of staff.

- I would be delighted to show you around.
- Oh.

The president's mother is going to be
cooking Thanksgiving dinner, Nora.

Well, this isn't really
a domestic kitchen, Mrs. Allen.

Oh, don't worry, Nora.
I know my way around BTUs.

I have a restaurant range at home.
And I'm sure Chef Paul will help me.

Well, actually...

Mrs. Allen's always made
Thanksgiving dinner for the family.

We're not gonna mess with tradition.

It's just a family dinner.
There's no state protocol involved.

- Would you like place cards written?
- That would be lovely.

Oh, and individual menu cards?
We have little crystal holders.

- Can you show me those?
- Right over here.

Well, I know when I'm not needed.

Now, what china pattern
do you think we should use, Nora?

[sighs]

- Right this way, Mr. Stanton.
- Thank you.

The Roosevelt Room was the
original site of the president's office

when the West Wing was built in 1902.

Kennedy kept his fishing trophies
in here, didn't he?

Watch out, Vince. Mike's a Kennedy buff.

- He knows all the trivia.
- Mac.

- Oh.
- Hey.

- Madam President.
- [Mac chuckles]

- Mike.
- Impressive.

- I'm sorry I can't show you the Oval.
- I understand.

I only have a few minutes.
I actually just snuck this in.

Mac, I want you to commute
Linda Bodum's death sentence.

Supreme Court denied your appeal.

Presidents don't commute
state-mandated death sentences.

Presidents can commute
any sentences they want.

Look, come on. I can't unilaterally
revoke the death penalty,

much as I might like to.
It's... It's just not realistic.

Federal Crime Bill 18,
USCA Section 9536a:

"A sentence of death shall not be
carried out upon a person

who is mentally retarded."
They passed that 20 years ago, Mac.

- All you do is cite the law of the land.
- It's not that easy.

Linda Bodum has the mental acuity
of a five year old, Mac.

She doesn't understand what's happening,
doesn't understand her crime

and certainly doesn't
understand D.C. politics.

It doesn't make them any less real, Mike.

I told her I was gonna try to see
the president to save her life.

I told her I knew you from school,

and the woman that I knew
wouldn't let her die.

- [sighs]
- She made you this, Mac.

Oh, God.

"Dear President, I don't want to die.

Mr. Stanton says you are good.
I want to live..."

This is beyond manipulative.

- What choice do I have?
- What choice do I have?

Come on, Mac. You're the
president of the United States.

Don't be naive.
There is a reality to this office!

Yeah.

The reality that you hold her life
in your hands.

I understand there may be political costs,

but if you do nothing, you might as well
stick that needle in her arm yourself.

- [Rod] What did you tell him?
- [Mac] I told him I can't do it.

Supreme Court has spoken. States' rights.

- You did the right thing.
- Why does it feel so lousy?

He was imposing on an old friendship
and that's inappropriate.

I would have done the same thing.
So would you.

Yeah.

I keep thinking about that base back home.

My head tells me, "Do nothing,
let it close, stay out of the fray."

But my heart... We close that base,
we close a whole community.

Well, you're not
the president of Connecticut.

You've got a whole nation to worry about.

- Do you think we should shut it down?
- Look.

It would free up enough money to cover
the entire F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program

with enough funds left over
for the rapid deployment expansion

that you've been pushing.

It feels lousy, it looks bad,

but it may be the best move.

Mmm. I don't know.

I thought with this job I'd have
more chances to do the right thing.

You do.

It's just...

The right thing isn't always
the opposite of the wrong thing.

Does Mommy know that you
gave me chocolate milk?

Well, and fruit and cereal, Bunny.

We'll tell her chocolate's brain food.

No, that actually is true.
I would never lie to your mother.

Why am I even studying French?
This whole world speaks English.

This is so stupid.

- Good morning, Becky.
- Morning.

If you'd taken French instead of Spanish,
you could help me, Becca.

What happened to your eyes?
They're all black.

Do I have to talk
this early in the morning?

Can't I just eat breakfast?

I studied French.

So, can you conjugate
the past subjunctive of venir

- in the first person plural?
- [speaks French]

The present subjunctive of
the auxiliary plus the past participle.

- OK. I'm an idiot.
- [chuckles]

- Thanks, Grandma.
- [speaks French]

- Good morning.
- Good morning, everyone.

Good morning, everyone. My baby boy.

- Hey. Hi, baby. Mom.
- Darling.

- I like the way I look, OK?
- Fine.

That's Linda Bodum's mother

leading a prayer vigil outside the prison.

Uh, Becca, could you
pass the milk, please?

- Yeah. Sure.
- The whole idea

that the government can kill your child
and you can't do a damn thing to stop it.

Grandma doesn't mean a little girl, baby.
She's talking about a 30-year-old woman.

- With a subnormal IQ.
- Who was convicted of murder.

And the state of Texas is gonna
return evil for evil and murder her?

- It's not murder, Grandma.
- No? Why not?

Well... Because murder is unjustified.
And this, this is completely justified.

The woman shot
a taxi driver who had a family...

Unless she didn't.

- Oh, please.
- No. We talked about this in civics.

They couldn't prove whether
it was her or her boyfriend.

- Either way she's guilty.
- Right. Props for compassion, Becca.

- What grade do you have in civics?
- [Rod taps glass]

We can finish arguing about this
on the way to school. Time to go.

- See you, Grandma.
- Goodbye, dear.

Bye.

How are they going to kill her?

Well, first they strap her
to a kind of table with wheels.

The doctor's going to put a needle
in the big vein in her arm...

Mom. You've made your point.

I was answering Amy's question.

She has a right to get an answer.
I always answered your questions.

Come on, baby.
Get your backpack. Let's go.

Does it hurt?

Nobody knows. The dead don't talk.

Oh, God. Come on.

Say "Bye-bye, Grandma."

- Bye, Grandma.
- Bye, honey.

Morning.

Since you got here,
all I'm getting is speculation

on "Is she running?"
and "When's she announcing?"

- I like that.
- I'm sure that you do,

but there's only so much
I can vamp from the podium.

Your vamping polls higher than you think.

- Uh, you polled my vamping?
- I poll everything.

Guys, how's prep coming
for tomorrow's press conference?

We can't really prep
until we have a policy.

- How's she on the base closures?
- Still considering.

I hope she makes up
her mind by tomorrow,

unless she has a press conference
to announce she can't make up her mind.

- How will that poll, Dickie?
- All right, Jim,

would you like to handle it
until we know?

We'll split staff.
Have teams prepping both ways.

- About your numbers...
- My numbers?

You're testing in the 8s and 9s
on warmth and relate-ability,

but you're lower
on judgment and confidence.

- What?
- We need to talk about your hair.

Get rid of the girl-next-door look.
Go more sexy, sophisticated.

Is it really my hair that needs
to be sophisticated in this job?

Wardrobe and makeup too.

There's a reason no one's done a style
piece on President Allen's new press sec.

Give this guy a call. He's the best.

Rod.

Someone has a fan.

- Can we steal you?
- Yeah.

Um, Rod tells me you have
no plans for Thanksgiving.

- You'll join us?
- Thank you.

Uh, Dickie had a concern. I told him
he shouldn't hold anything back.

Um, somehow I think holding back
has never been his issue.

- No, ma'am.
- What's on your mind?

You met with Linda Bodum's attorney.

It's not out, but I saw him.

Figured he wasn't here
for the White House tour.

Seventy percent of Americans
support the death penalty.

Unless the poll gives
an option of life in prison,

in which case the number
drops to 41 percent.

Texas is 34 electoral votes.

Not to mention the rest
of the South and Midwest.

Day may come
when you wish you had them.

Kate?

[Kate chuckles]

- Don't worry, I'm still breathing.
- Me too.

That's the definition of a good day.

- Ah. Come and sit for a minute.
- OK.

Oh.

- Are you all right?
- Mmm.

- I'm sorry about this morning.
- Ah.

I thought I was preaching to the choir.

I mean, where is Rebecca
getting her ideas?

Not from either of her parents.

Kate, I'm glad you're here.

President Allen. Madam President.

- My daughter, the president.
- [chuckles]

Do you know, I remember when
I couldn't open a checking account

- without my husband's signature.
- Right.

Oh, Michael would be
so thrilled to see her now.

He bragged about her
from the day she was born.

Everybody says you get used to loss.

I miss him more every day.

Kate…

You spend too much time in that house.

Oh. There's nowhere to go.
And nobody to go with.

Well, what about all your friends?

They can't see and they can't hear
and they can't walk.

[stammering]

Going to lunch is like a major expedition,

and once we get there all we do
is talk about our medical problems.

Oh, come on.

I remember...

...bullying Michael into having
a vacation in Hawaii.

Right, right. [chuckles]

After one day, he said doctors should send

all their terminally ill patients to Hawaii

because being there one day
was like a year.

Getting old is like a vacation in Hawaii.

- Come on.
- Oh.

I get depressed when it's dark.

- I'll be much better in the morning.
- Sure you will.

- Pleasant dreams.
- Good night.

[sighs]

- Hey.
- Hey.

It's 7:00am and you look tired.
What's going on?

I've been up since 5:00.

I've been, uh, looking over
Linda Bodum's case.

Now you're not seriously
considering commutation?

Yeah. I am.

Honey, you're just
handing yourself up on a platter

with an apple in your mouth.

I'm already sick of this campaign
before I've even agreed to run.

I can't make a decision like this,
between my life and her life.

You're asking me to compromise
before I'm even out of the gate.

If you intend to stay president.

Why have the job if the only point
is keeping the job, not doing the job?

Don't pretend you're above politics, Mac,

or you'd have resigned when Bridges died

and this'd be
Templeton's bedroom right now.

I have the power to save that woman's life.

You weren't present at the trial.
You didn't hear the evidence.

- You want to subvert this jury's decision?
- I have that right.

Nice.

Three thousand people on death row.
Will you commute all their sentences?

- This is different.
- Why? Because she's retarded?

Because she's a woman?
Because you had a thing with her lawyer?

- I didn't. He was just a friend.
- A close friend.

Do you really want
to trump the Supreme Court?

[Nathan] The president's invited us
for Thanksgiving dinner

in the private dining room.
Just the family. Her mother's in town.

I saw the mother on TV. She's attractive.

It's all spackle and paint.

[chuckles] Some of us need that.

You never did.

I know what she wants.

Girl's so transparent, Sarah.

She didn't invite us for company.

She wants to send a message
that I support her presidency,

that we're friends. I told her
in Washington there are no friends.

[sighs]

I'm not going to let her use me this way.

She thinks she's so canny.

- Does she?
- [chuckles]

Because she's really smart.
Don't underestimate her.

Too bad you lost your inside source.

I shouldn't have fired Jayne.

Jayne was an excellent chief of staff.
You won't find any better.

And you know you miss her.

Well... [sighs] I can't hire her back.

Why not?

Because I'd have to beg.

[chuckles]

It's just a tactic, sweetheart.

For Thanksgiving,
shall I wear the black suit

or shall I wear the velvet pants
with the jacket?

- We do have to go, don't we?
- You like the velvet pants.

Whatever you wear...

...you're going to be the most
beautiful woman at the table.

I love you too.

- I have an idea.
- Start by apologizing.

- I'm sorry.
- That was too easy.

What do you think about having
your mother live at the White House?

- With us?
- Yes.

- Have you already talked to her?
- No, I have not.

But we need an official hostess,
Mac. She'd be perfect.

- She could write an etiquette book.
- In French.

Right. She's like Jackie Kennedy
without the pillbox.

And a much louder voice.
She knows how to make herself heard.

You know, in Connecticut,
we can ignore her.

She's desperately lonely there, Mac.

- She never said that.
- Not to you.

But she thinks you have
enough to worry about.

You know, with the nation.

But she's all by herself.
She's just going to start fading away.

And the kids need more attention,
Mac. You know they do.

Are you really ready to start living
with your mother-in-law?

Well, it's a very large house.

[camera shutters clicking]

I'm ready to take questions now.

- Madam President! Madam President!
- [Mac] Luis.

[Luis] The closure of Essex Naval

could have a huge impact
on citizens in your home state.

Will you fight to keep the base open?

I grew up on that base.

I had my birthday parties
at the bowling alley there every year.

This is personal for me

and I've agonized over it.

And that's why the commission
on closures is independent.

Their recommendations
are above personal feelings and politics

and will move billions of dollars
into critical national security programs.

- Madam President!
- Terry.

Do you worry turning
your back on these people

- will cost you support in your home state?
- I'm not turning my back.

We're preparing
economic assistance plans

that will help these communities
adjust and attract new industry.

[Terry] Are you sending a signal that
running in the next election isn't a factor?

Right now I'm concentrating on being
president, not running for president.

Does that mean you're not going to run?

- Madam President! Madam President!
- Barry.

Forty percent of students
at your elementary school

are children of base personnel.

Does it bother you that your school
may have to shut its doors

- because of this decision?
- [Mac] Yes. Of course it does.

And I'll do everything I can
to see that that doesn't happen.

But I'm not gonna
play favorites from this office,

not even for my hometown.

The right decision
isn't always the easy one,

but it doesn't make it any less right.

- [reporters clamoring]
- What do you think?

I think she'll make a hell of a candidate.

Let's assume I decide to run.
What will you need from me?

Focus. Time. You have
to be serious about fundraising.

You don't have the benefit
of an RNC or DNC behind you.

No infrastructure. Cost of that alone
will be north of 300 million.

Same for the campaign itself.

We're probably talking about
raising a million dollars a day.

I'll also need to be on the team
formulating the message.

If you are on the team,
I'd have some ground rules.

You'd have input, but ultimately
the message would be mine.

- Of course.
- You're a talented guy.

I'm glad Rod brought you in.

But you're not going to make me
into some product to sell.

I won't be handled, I won't be made over.

Madam President, if you hire me,
I'll be working for you.

I'll call it how I see it, but ultimately
every decision will be yours.

You strike me as a rather
mercenary young man.

Ambitious. Good at what you do.

- But you like to win.
- Always.

Then why are you here?
I'm in this job by accident.

I have no party support.
My numbers are sliding.

I am a long shot for re-election.

My first job out of college
was for Congressman Leland.

While he was setting fundraising records

from every sleazebag in America...

Yeah, you resigned.

Because campaign finance reform
was going down in flames

and you said you didn't want
to be a part of a corrupt system

that couldn't heal itself.

I'd have thought you'd say that
that was a dumb move.

You shamed them into
passing campaign finance reform.

It wouldn't have happened otherwise.
Sort of made you a hero in my book.

You think I'm a hero?

I think you can win this, Madam President.

Do you have someplace
to go for Thanksgiving?

Wow. This looks beautiful, Mom.

[chuckling]

I put you and Rod across from
each other in the middle of the table.

Just like William Randolph Hearst
and Marion Davies.

Well, except happy
and married to each other.

That way Mr. Templeton
is seated to your right.

Does his wife need
any special accommodation?

- Not that I know of.
- Oh, well. I have her next to Rod.

That works. And the youngsters
are together at the end of the table.

- Great. Great.
- Good.

- You love this, don't you?
- I do.

- I haven't had so much fun in years.
- [Mac chuckles]

You should, uh...

You should close up the Connecticut
house and move in here with us.

- Be careful. I just might accept.
- I'm serious, Mom.

- I want to have you here with us.
- Are you feeling sorry for me?

We need you, Mom.

- Is this your idea or Rod's?
- We discussed it together.

Spoken like a president.

- I'll think about it.
- OK.

You're not just going
after the senior vote, are you?

Ah. That hadn't occurred to me.

[jazz music playing]

- [Nathan] Happy Thanksgiving.
- Happy Thanksgiving.

- Welcome, Nathan.
- Sorry we're a little late.

[Mac] No, you're not.

- Hey.
- Hey.

We're, uh, gathering at the West End.

- Thank you.
- Thank you.

I watched your press conference.

You were right.
It was the only decision possible.

You continue to amaze me.

I have something for you.

Yeah, but we didn't bring...
I didn't bring any...

I'm giving you the original film

- and the tape.
- Why?

If I decide to run for re-election,
not that I have…

Of course not.

- ...you'll run against me.
- That's an assumption.

Assuming you do,

I'm going to beat you
because of what you believe now,

not what you said then.

Thank you.

- Madam President.
- Dickie, happy Thanksgiving.

[Nathan] Happy Thanksgiving.

You look beautiful, Kelly. As always.

- Thank you, ma'am.
- Be careful. You'll be next,

and it won't be just another new hairstyle.

- Madam President.
- Excuse me.

The governor's been reached.

- He's waiting on the line.
- Thank you.

My daughter has invited me
to live in the White House.

- How nice.
- She needs me here.

You've made your feelings quite clear.

I've taken note of your position,
but it doesn't change mine.

Tomorrow you will receive
my executive order

commuting Miss Bodum's sentence
to life in prison.

I'd like to wish you and your family
a very happy Thanksgiving.

Good night.

You called the governor.

I had to pardon the National Turkey
in the Rose Garden this week.

It gets to live its life
out on a farm somewhere.

Does Linda Bodum deserve
any less compassion than a turkey?

Well, if you're gonna go down, honey,
at least you're gonna go down fighting.

- Come on. Everybody's waiting for you.
- OK.

[classical music playing]

[Dickie] You should know.
Your mother tests off the charts.

You just made that up.

OK, you're right, but when
I get the results tomorrow,

her positives will hit within two points
of 85 percent across the board.

No party split. You'll need a new
picture for the Christmas card.

Three generations in the White House.

[chuckles] Go sit down.

Doesn't she look fantastic?

- Madam President.
- Please, everyone.

Nathan, will you do us
the honor of saying grace?

Lord...

...we thank you for the bounty
we are about to receive

and for the hands that prepared it.

On this day of giving thanks...

...let us give thanks
to our families who love us,

to our friends who stand by us,

to our enemies who forgive us,

and to our leaders
who need your strength, Lord,

your compassion and mercy,

to do your work and theirs.

Amen.

- Amen.
- Amen.

Happy Thanksgiving.

[all] Happy Thanksgiving.

That was lovely. Thank you.

- Oh, goodness.
- Oh!

[Nathan] Bravo! Bravo.

They're beautiful, Grandma.